Banana containing shipping carton



May 3, 1966 G. H. HACKETT BANANA CONTAINING SHIPPING CARTON Fi led Oct. 25, 196-3 Patented May 3, 1966 Fruit Company, Boston, Mass, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 318,276

3 Claims. (Cl. 99171) This invention relates to packing bananas, particularly for transit from the tropics, and more particularly to a banana-containing shipping carton which will carry a large weight of fruit per unit volume. In addition, the invention deals with so packing the bananas as to minimize fruit damage, not only from motion encountered in transit, but also from unwanted intercontacts which produce peel discoloration.

Transit of bananas on the stem has already been replaced to some extent by boxing hands of bananas. For example, three or four hands of bananas can be and have been packed in each compartment of a centrally partitioned, rectilinear fiberboard box to make up a gross box weight of typically 42 pounds. In large scale operations, one naturally wants to use a uniform size box so that the boxes, after packing, can be regularly stacked, as in ships holds, etc. Since hands of bananas vary greatly in size and shape, even when out from the same plantation, it is necessary to choose a box size which is large enough to accommodate the largest volume of approximately 42 pounds of bananas in hand form which will be encountered. This chosen box size is oversize for many 42-pound loads the hands of which are more compact. Space is thus often wasted.

A primary object of the invention then is to contain a given weight of bananas in a smaller carton volume than can be obtained with hands of bananas. This is done in accordance with this invention by packing the bananas in clusters of only from 3 to 7 fingers, instead of in hands, which usually run from 18 to 22 fingers, simultaneously making provision against encountering the drawbacks that usually attend packaging of bananas in cluster form. A major drawback'is that when a stem is divided into clusters, a crown must be left on each cluster to hold the fingers together in cluster array. These crowns are relatively hard and jagged and constitute, in a box, a source of damage to adjacent peel surfaces of other clusters. In multiplying the number of these separate crowns in one box, the number of peel surface areas which are likely to contact these sources of bruising are likewise multiplied. Any gain in space by utilizing the smaller unit is thus likely to be attended with greater losses in condition during transit.

Similarly, by multiplying the number of integral units in a given space, separate motion of more individual units occurs during transit, which tends again to multiply the number of fingers that are likely to be bruised.

A further factor is that severed exposed faces of crowns oftentimes continue toexude latex after packing and during storage or transit. Contact of adjacentfingers with this latex as it is exuded tends to discolor the peel. The greater the number of separate crowns in a box, the greater the number of points of possible contamination,

For at least all the above reasons, box packing of bananas in cluster form has, prior to this invention, had little, if any, appeal and has not been commended.

According to this invention, bananas clusters are box packed in layers with each layer having at least two rows of clusters lying on their sides with their tips in tip-to-tip relation but with their outer whorls and crowns facing in opposite directions so that their tip ends can be intercalated. The internal box width can then be less than twice the length of the longest banana in the box and can more nearly be only as wide as double the length of the shortest banana in the box.

With the bananas thus compactly packed, the danger of damage is further minimized by placing a separator next to any crown which is likely to come in contact with the adjacent peel of the next cluster so that the separators not only serve to prevent crown-peel contact, but also, where the separators are, as is preferred, made of an absorbent material such as fiberboard, serve to absorb latex exudation, thus shielding the adjacent cluster peel from latex contamination.

In addition, all the separators on one side of the box are preferably integral with one another and unattached to the box walls so that if any of the contents tend to move, they not only move their intervening separator but also, by transmission of the moving force through the separator connectors, tend to transmit the same motion to the rest of the clusters in that row; and often to the clusters in the other row through the tip-to-tip interlock. As thus packed, the contents tend to be unitized, thus reducing the number of relative motions between clusters.

The above and other objects of the invention will be more fully understood when taken in connection with a description of a typical embodiment of the invention which is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a banana shipping carton in accordance with the invention before being packed with bananas;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a separator member, two of which are shown positioned in the box of FIG. 1; v

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the box of FIG. 1 after it has been packed. with banana clusters in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 1 showsa rectilinear fiberboard box of any conventional construction, including a bottom wall 12, end walls 14 and 16, and side walls 18 and 20.

Extending along the inner side of the side walls 18 and 20, in opposed face-to-face relation, are two separator members 22 and 24 which have identical construction, as shown in FIG. 2. Each separator member is constituted of a length of fiberboard sheet material which is scored and bent to form two inturned end panels 26 and 28 andtwo intermediate infolded panels 30 and 32, uniformly spaced from each other and from the end panels 26 and 28.

The separator member 24 has a height-substantially equal to the height of the side wall 20 of the box, but its length is less than the length of the side wall.

Separator member 22 is identical, except that it is placed in the box in such manner that its panels 30 and 32 will face inwardly of the box also. Neither of the separator members is attached to the side walls or to the box.

FIG. 3 shows the manner of packing clusters of bananas in the box of FIG. 1. Thus, there are two longitudinally extending rows of clusters, with the clusters in the lefthand row, as shown in FIG. 3, lying on their sides and having their crowns 40 and inner whorls facing in one direction, while the row of clusters at the right-hand side, as shown in FIG. 3, have their crowns 42 and inner whorls facing in the opposite direction. The panels 30 and 32, as

shown in FIG. 3, separate the crowns on the three middle clusters in the left-hand row from each other and the end panels 26 and 28 separate these three middle clusters from the two end clusters. Each crown is thus embraced by a pair of adjacent infolded panels or between an end panel and end wall.

The separator member 24 on the opposite side of the box similarly segregates the crowns of the clusters in the other row.

The result is, because the outer whorls of fingers of the clusters in one row face in the opposite direction from the outer whorls of the fingers in the clusters in the opposite row, interleaving or intercalation of the tip ends of the fingers is feasible, thus permitting the width of the box to be less than double the length of the largest banana which is to be packed in the box.

FIG. 4 illustrates the manner in which two layers of clusters are formed throughout both box rows, the separator members separating the clusters in the upper layer as well as and in the same manner as in the lower layer.

Since the lying-on-the-side heights of a large number of banana clusters varies less than any other dimension, the method of packing shown takes advantage of this more uniform average dimension by providing a box, in the case of a two-layer pack which is just a little higher than double this average dimension.

As will be understood, since the separator members 22 and 24: are unattached to the box, they are slidable with respect to the side walls and tend to unitize the load,so that the clusters in one row will move bodily together rather than with several separate motions. In this connection, a resilient hinging motion provided by the infolded separator fiberboard members aids in cushioning the motions between the clusters. It has also been found that where one row moves with its separator member, there is a tendency for the other separator member to slide therewith and move its clusters too, because of the tip end interlocks.

Additionally, since the panels, 2%, 30, 32, 28 extend inwardly between the crown of one cluster and the adjacent outer whorl of the next cluster, any latex exudation from one of the crowns is prevented from staining the adjacent whorl, but rather tends to be absorbed by the absorbent fiberboard panel or to fall to the bottom of the box. This arrangement aids in preventing peel contamination from latex exudation which has so often been previously encountered. It will be understood that, in most cases, the packed box will be provided with a conventional hollow outer telescoping or other suitable cover. It is also understood that in some cases, one, or even two, clusters at diagonally opposite ends of the rows can be omitted if a desired weight is achieved without including these clusters.

The vertical separator members have the additional function of reinforcing the sidewalls of the box against compression forces, as when a series of boxes, usually with covers, are stacked one on top of another.

As previously stated, the particular form of partitions and box size shown was chosen because a conventional net total weight of 42 pounds can best be achieved with banana fingers by having a box which will accommodate two layers of clusters in rows of 5 clusters each, or totaling 20 clusters per box.

What is claimed is:

1.'A banana-containing shipping carton comprising a rectilinear box, bananas in cluster form lying in said box on their sides in layer form in two longitudinally extending rows with the inner whorls and crowns of the clusters in one row facing one end of the box and the inner whorls and crowns of the clusters in the other row facing the other end of the box, tip ends of fingers in the clusters in one row lying in at least partially intercalated relation with tip ends of at least some fingers of clusters in the other row, a cluster separator member extending along the inner sidewall on at least one side of said box, said separator member comprising sheet material folded inwardly at uniformly spaced intervals to form at least three spaced, inwardly extending, upright panels, each pair of adjacent panels embracing a crown end of a cluster, said separator member being slideable along said sidewall to unitize the embraced clusters for movement bodily rather than individually longitudinally of said box.

2. A banana-containing shipping carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein the box contains two layers of said clusters and said pairs of adjacent panels embrace the crown end of a single cluster in each. layer.

3. A banana-containing shipping. carton comprising a rectilinear box, bananas in cluster form lying in said box on their sides in layer form in two longitudinally extending rows with the inner whorls and, crowns of the clusters in one row facing one end of the box and the inner whorls and .crowns of the clusters in the other row facing the other end of the box, tip ends of fingers in the clusters in one'row lying in at least partially intercalated relation with tip ends of at least some fingers of clusters in the other row, a cluster separator member extending along the inner side wall on each side of said box, each separator memberv comprising sheet, material foldedinwardly at uniformly spaced intervals to form a plurality of spaced, inwardly extending, upright panels, each pair of adjacent panels embracing a crown end of a cluster, said separator members being slideable along said sidewalls to unitize the embraced clusters in each row for movement bodily rather than individually longitudinally of said box.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,196,320 8/1916 Weber 229-14 1,791,422 2/1931 McVay et al. 1,859,537 5/1932 Shofer 22914 X 2,734,626 2/ 1956 Koester et al 229-14 X 2,964,229 12/ 1960 Mansfield 206- X 3,139,348 6/1964 Reifers et a1 99171 HYMAN LORD, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BANANA-CONTAINING SHIPPING CARTON COMPRISING A RECTILINEAR BOX, BANANAS IN CLUSTER FORM LYING IN SAID BOX ON THEIR SIDES IN LAYER FORM IN TWO LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING ROWS WITH THE INNER WHORLS AND CROWNS OF THE CLUSTERS IN ONE ROW FACING ONE END OF THE BOX AND THE INNER WHORLS AND CROWNS OF THE CLUSTERS IN THE OTHER ROW FACING THE OTHER END OF THE BOX, TIP ENDS OF FINGERS IN THE CLUSTERS IN ONE ROW LYING IN AT LEAST PARTIALLY INTERCALATED RELTION WITH TIP ENDS OF AT LEAST SOME FINGERS OF CLUSTERS IN THE OTHER ROW, A CLUSTER SEPARATOR MEMBER EXTENDING ALONG THE INNER SIDEWALL ON AT LEAST ONE SIDE OF SAID BOX, SAID SEPARATOR MEMBER COMPRISING SHEET MATERIAL FOLDED INWARDLY AT UNIFORMLY SPACED INTERVALS TO FORM AT LEAST THE SPACED, INWARDLY EXTENDING, UPRIGHT PANELS, EACH PAIR OF ADJACENT PANELS EMBRACING A CROWN END OF A CLUSTER, SAID SEPARATOR 